Weight Loss Surgery for Morbidly Obese
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I was sternly reminded by my team that for sustained loss, this will have to be a lifestyle change. So I'm working on that.
There should be no illusions going in that surgery bypasses the hard work.
This...all of this!
I had a RNY in May and have had no complications but I still have to put in the work. I weighed 557 pounds when I started the WLS journey; I was in danger of a heart attack getting out of bed in the morning. Now, 10 months into this journey, I am off my blood pressure meds, no longer need a C-Pap to sleep, exersise every day, and have dropped from a size 38 to a 22 and am still going strong. I still see my nutritionist once a month and a counselor to handle any non-food issues that can lend to overeating. It is not an easy road but when you have tried everything else and your life is at risk it is a decision you make for yourself.
If you do decide the surgery route is the best one for you, surround yourself with supportive people and don't let anyone make you feel like you took the easy way out. It is a very brave choice...and it is your choice not theirs.0 -
MyOwnSunshine wrote: »There is a group on here, VSGers, that has information about sleeve surgery. I'm sure there are groups dedicated to bypass as well. If you are truly considering surgery, attend a seminar presented by a surgeon, and also look up some current research on each of the surgeries. You would be better served by asking a hospital or college librarian to help you with a lit search than spending hours getting bashed on the internet.
My opinion is that weight loss surgery is exactly that -- weight LOSS surgery. I lost 100 pounds with a sleeve, and have kept almost all of it off, but I work very hard to maintain, just like people who lose without surgery.
It is not a miracle, or an easy way out, but it can be a very helpful tool, if you have the right mindset.
Cue the bashing now....
ITA - WLS was just a tool for me. I didn't have co-morbidities associated with weight loss. I was pre-diabetic but everything else was a chronic health issue that anyone regardless of weight could have. The difference was my weight made them worse and every time I got sick, I regained everything I loss. After losing and regaining the same 35 - 50lbs and this last time adding another 20 to that I realized I needed more help. The program I choose had a mandatory informational seminar that you must attend before you can even schedule an appointment with the surgeon. It's a complete over view of 3 types of WLS surgery with all the pros and cons. I'm happy I had the sleeve done, but I still have to put in the work with watching what I eat and getting regular exercise.0 -
it's not, as far as I can see, an easy route
discuss it with your primary physician
This ^^ It's a good option for some, but it's not the easy out many think it is. It's work and if you don't address the underlying problems that caused weight gain you may just gain it all back.
Best of luck to you, whatever path you choose.0 -
Sevendust912 wrote: »Hey, sevendust. How about someone like me who is losing the old fashioned way too? I never yo-yo dieted, never went for fads. My weight gain over the years was very steady; a couple pounds a year. The few times I went on Weight Watchers I followed the program and lost weight.
I'm not a whiner by nature.
It still was the best decision for me to have the bariatric surgery. You know the definition of insanity?
You said weight loss is not easy. I disagree, weight loss is a simple formula that any reasonable person with the slightest bit of motivation should be able to achieve. Just my opinion
Weight loss is not a formula. Weight loss is applying a formula. HUGE difference.0 -
Maybe on paper the formula it is easy weight change = CI - CO. And while he CI is somewhat easy to figure out (unless you eat someone elses cooking), the CO number is extremely difficult.Sevendust912 wrote: »Hey, sevendust. How about someone like me who is losing the old fashioned way too? I never yo-yo dieted, never went for fads. My weight gain over the years was very steady; a couple pounds a year. The few times I went on Weight Watchers I followed the program and lost weight.
I'm not a whiner by nature.
It still was the best decision for me to have the bariatric surgery. You know the definition of insanity?
You said weight loss is not easy. I disagree, weight loss is a simple formula that any reasonable person with the slightest bit of motivation should be able to achieve. Just my opinion
And that is just the formula, now take into mind peoples physiological and psychological natures, it can be difficult.
I am guessing you never have been obese?
I have tried many things in the past, but nothing worked even though I was motivated, I just wasn't knowledgable.
Even the CI is not always easy to figure. It's not always as easy as counting calories in food.0 -
Against for me, but its your choice and your body. Listen to your Dr and think about it very carefully before having it done. I think natural is better and if you do it the MFP way with moderation in eating, balanced diet and exercise, then you will be learning skills for life.
Nutrition, relationship with food and fitness are additional things you can learn besides simple weight loss.0 -
Do what makes you healthy and happy. Regardless of if you choose to lose weight using an fitness program or if you have surgery, you will still have to put in hard work. As far as bashers are concerned, who cares what they think or say? They aren't carrying the weight that you are trying to lose nor will they be around to enjoy your success once you lose the weight. Good luck!0
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Do your research & have this discussion with your physician.
Side note: Why is every post in here flagged??-1 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Sevendust912 wrote: »Hey, sevendust. How about someone like me who is losing the old fashioned way too? I never yo-yo dieted, never went for fads. My weight gain over the years was very steady; a couple pounds a year. The few times I went on Weight Watchers I followed the program and lost weight.
I'm not a whiner by nature.
It still was the best decision for me to have the bariatric surgery. You know the definition of insanity?
You said weight loss is not easy. I disagree, weight loss is a simple formula that any reasonable person with the slightest bit of motivation should be able to achieve. Just my opinion
Weight loss is not a formula. Weight loss is applying a formula. HUGE difference.
amen, sister! i've known exactly how to lose weight for 20 years. theoretically that is. actually applying that knowledge has been a HUGE hurdle for me and continues to be something i need to work on. i'm doing ok, i've lost 50 lbs since my highest weight, but that's taken more than a year of behaviour changes and i've got a long way to go. WLS for me will be another tool in the toolbox. that's all it is. i've proven through many failed weight loss systems that i need to take care of the hunger pains and the ability to overeat. seriously, i'm really never NOT hungry, and the surgery i'm having removes a large part of the stomach that produces the hunger hormone ghrelin. and i'll have a stomach the size of a banana so i can't gorge. it doesn't take care of all the problems though - if i decided to eat a lot of broccoli cheddar soup, i could consume a huge amount of calories and fat very quickly because it'll kind of slide right through. that's why it's just a tool, not a miracle.
you have to do hard work no matter what you do.
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redheaddee wrote: »Do your research & have this discussion with your physician.
Side note: Why is every post in here flagged??
Some people mistakenly think they are funny.![:\](https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/resources/emoji/confused.png ":\")
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Do what makes you healthy and happy. Regardless of if you choose to lose weight using an fitness program or if you have surgery, you will still have to put in hard work. As far as bashers are concerned, who cares what they think or say? They aren't carrying the weight that you are trying to lose nor will they be around to enjoy your success once you lose the weight. Good luck!
Whose to say that they never did though?0 -
redheaddee wrote: »Do your research & have this discussion with your physician.
Side note: Why is every post in here flagged??
Because MFP's implementation of community moderation is about as broken as you could get.
There is no way to "unflag" a post, due to contrary opinion. Any posse can stomp an offender into submission (although I must always uncover these hidden gems).
Do mods ever revert unwarranted flags? And, of course, there is no penalty for wanton flagging, so do so to your heart's content!-1 -
lookingforskinny69 wrote: »I am considering weight loss surgery, I am sure the bashing will happen, any comments for or against?
Most who go this route regain significant weight.
It's not a "cure"...
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Sevendust912 wrote: »Hey, sevendust. How about someone like me who is losing the old fashioned way too? I never yo-yo dieted, never went for fads. My weight gain over the years was very steady; a couple pounds a year. The few times I went on Weight Watchers I followed the program and lost weight.
I'm not a whiner by nature.
It still was the best decision for me to have the bariatric surgery. You know the definition of insanity?
You said weight loss is not easy. I disagree, weight loss is a simple formula that any reasonable person with the slightest bit of motivation should be able to achieve. Just my opinion
Weight loss is not a formula. Weight loss is applying a formula. HUGE difference.
amen, sister! i've known exactly how to lose weight for 20 years. theoretically that is. actually applying that knowledge has been a HUGE hurdle for me and continues to be something i need to work on. i'm doing ok, i've lost 50 lbs since my highest weight, but that's taken more than a year of behaviour changes and i've got a long way to go. WLS for me will be another tool in the toolbox. that's all it is. i've proven through many failed weight loss systems that i need to take care of the hunger pains and the ability to overeat. seriously, i'm really never NOT hungry, and the surgery i'm having removes a large part of the stomach that produces the hunger hormone ghrelin. and i'll have a stomach the size of a banana so i can't gorge. it doesn't take care of all the problems though - if i decided to eat a lot of broccoli cheddar soup, i could consume a huge amount of calories and fat very quickly because it'll kind of slide right through. that's why it's just a tool, not a miracle.
you have to do hard work no matter what you do.
You will still be able to overeat. Work on changing those habits now. And the stomach can be stretched back out. My friend has gained over one hundred pounds since having gastric sleeve surgery, after an initial loss of around 60. She didn't follow directions, she has stretched her stomach, and now can overeat to her heart's delight. She regularly eats more than I do in a single meal, yet her stomach is supposedly half the size. I also know someone else who has gained back approximately 50 pounds after having the gastric sleeve. Like you said, it's just a tool, but it is a tool that does not and will not do everything you think it will.0 -
I started this journey more than a hundred pounds over weight and I have seriously considered weight loss surgery until now. Almost 2 months ago I started Contrave and the month prior Metformin with unbelievable results in the I have not been plagued by hunger and I am pretty much effortlessly have been following healthy eating habits which I have been unable to do for the over a decade.
I also assert that obesity is very much a physiological disease. For example, I believe that frequently once one hits a certain weight that it messes up your insulin and metabolic functions which results in overwhelming physiologic urges to overeat again and again. I have read that when there is too much insulin that the insulin grabs you by the shoulders and screams, "Eat! Eat!." I also believe that many are also afflicted with food addictions also probably resulting from brain chemicals gone haywire. Then, there are many who overeat out of habit or for psychological reasons.
I think I have all three problems. I realize that generally lower carbs, more protein, more vegetables, less starchy vegetables, more good fat, and low glycemic fruit help to curb hunger. However, it can feel like climbing Mount Everest if you are grappling with all of the above with some depression thrown on top due to your predicament. For over a decade I felt like I was in a hole and unable to eat well for any longer than 3 months and constantly regaining any weight I lost. I do not think it is a matter of will power because if it were than more people would have success with weight loss.
Fortunately, my weight loss doctor at a major university prescribed Metformin and Contrave for me. For once, I feel like I am not plagued by constant urges for sweets and overeating. In fact, I finally feel that I have the willpower of steel for the past 2 months. For the record, I have had the discipline in the past to quit smoking after 17 years and to become a successful critical care nurse educator and so on and so forth. I just could not deal with this weight thing and now I am hopeful that I can. I feel medication can be a tool to help me gain control while also changing my habits. I also feel anyone who is a candidate for Contrave should consider it first before surgery since it would be much less risky than surgery.
Contrave is composed of 2 meds that have been around for decades and both have good safety records. I did find the wellbutrin component of contrave made me very jittery to first couple of weeks so I immediately cut out coffee and most caffeine. They say most folks get over the jitters after several weeks and so did I. I also have only been on one pill of contrave a day and will only very slowly increase to recommended dose as needed after discussing with my doctor. I recommend giving it a try for anyone struggling like I did since unlike other weight loss pills this one actually is safe and both drugs have long track records.
Metformin is used for pre-diabetes and diabetes. I have newly diagnosed pre-diabetes which I suspect I have had a long time despite normal blood work (I had gestational diabetes). It is very safe as well and has a long track record. They are also studying its use in obese individuals without pre-diabetes and diabetes. I would ask about this drug too in the extended release form and start slowly with one pill a day gradually increased over weeks or months to desired dose as ordered by your doctor. It does frequently cause gastrointestinal issues which usually go away after several weeks. Using the extended release form and slowly increasing dose and taking with meals helps avoid these issues. I have had no problems. I was also astounded how it took away my hunger pangs that have plagued me forever. The Contrave helped even more.
I hope this helps someone. I also believe that one should try to fix things without meds when possible. However, meds when used correctly can also be a lifeline for someone.0 -
lookingforskinny69 wrote: »I am considering weight loss surgery, I am sure the bashing will happen, any comments for or against?
Most who go this route regain significant weight.
It's not a "cure"...
The fact is, most that go any route to lose weight regain. It is an across the board statistic, not just those choosing to have a type of surgery to help them.
BTW, these folks are taking a risk with their lives by choosing surgery. It is not an easy way out.
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I lost 100lbs with weight loss surgery and I would do it all over again knowing what I know now about it. It was hard work and sad when I couldn't eat good foods but it helped me take control of my life. Don't let anyone tell you it is an easy way out because it was VERY HARD and very worth it.0
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I lost 100lbs with weight loss surgery and I would do it all over again knowing what I know now about it. It was hard work and sad when I couldn't eat good foods but it helped me take control of my life. Don't let anyone tell you it is an easy way out because it was VERY HARD and very worth it.
Yeh, from what I've seen with friends it's a different kind of hard but still hard. Watching them has made me feel my choice is easier.
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I forgot to add that if going to respected weight loss program and weight loss doctor and Contrave does not work, then I would carefully consider surgery. However, I strongly recommend trying contrave if you are a candidate plus perhaps metformin since these 2 drugs have been around a long time and are unlike the phen-fen debacle. The contrave tackles mood, appetite, and cravings. The metformin helps to normalize insulin and blood sugar and thereby decreasing hunger and cravings. The contrave has a black box warning but I read recently they are re-thinking that black box warning and I still believe the wellbutrin component is very safe. Many safe drugs have long laundry lists of usually remote possible side effects.
The bottom line is that I see these as tools and I still have to do my part. I am 15 pounds down! I am glad to see medicine is finally coming up with some possible real solutions for what I see as a real disease. To me it is miraculous to not be plagued with constant hunger and cravings.0 -
It isn't an easy way out nor is it cheating yourself out of being able to say you lost weight the "hard way." I had lap band back in May and I've lost almost 80 pounds now. It has been the hardest thing, yet the best thing I've ever done for myself. It has completely changed my mindset on eating. I haven't had fast food or soda (two of my biggest weaknesses) in about 8 months now. I eat much healthier and much less. I didn't consider gastric bypass or gastric sleeve just because they're too extreme and scary for me. Lap band may be "slower" but you still lose the same amount of weight as you would with the other surgeries and I feel like the fact that it isn't as quick of a weight loss is healthier for you. I haven't had any post-op complications and I am happier than I have ever been. I say go for it!0
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I approached my doctor about this when I was desperate but he was non-commital and so I undertook to learn about it myself. Over time, I learned a good deal about the various types of surgery, their benefits and drawbacks. This type of surgery is brutal! The thought of someone undertaking such assaults on my body (and with my permission) leaves me cold.
Finally, I identified where I was going wrong with my attempts at natural weight loss and success flowed.
Weigh and log - weigh and log - weigh and log. It works!0 -
FinallyHopeful wrote: »I forgot to add that if going to respected weight loss program and weight loss doctor and Contrave does not work, then I would carefully consider surgery. However, I strongly recommend trying contrave if you are a candidate plus perhaps metformin since these 2 drugs have been around a long time and are unlike the phen-fen debacle. The contrave tackles mood, appetite, and cravings. The metformin helps to normalize insulin and blood sugar and thereby decreasing hunger and cravings. The contrave has a black box warning but I read recently they are re-thinking that black box warning and I still believe the wellbutrin component is very safe. Many safe drugs have long laundry lists of usually remote possible side effects.
The bottom line is that I see these as tools and I still have to do my part. I am 15 pounds down! I am glad to see medicine is finally coming up with some possible real solutions for what I see as a real disease. To me it is miraculous to not be plagued with constant hunger and cravings.
The black box warning is for the Wellbutrin. I think all anti-depressants have that warning because their use has been correlated with suicidal thoughts. (This happened to me on Celexa.)
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I thought about it several years ago. Then after tons of research I decided that it wasn't going to be an option for me. I do know two people who've done it and have been successful. My only suggestion is to do a LOT of research, meet and talk with people who have had it done. Also, talk with people who've lost significant weight without surgery.
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It's really not that difficult to figure out a rough CO estimate. One lb of human fatty tissue equals about 3500 calories. If you know roughly how many calories you have taken in during a set period of time, let's say 1500 cals/day for four weeks, and weigh yourself before and after, then the amount you've lost, let's say 2 lbs, means that your calorie deficit has been 250/day, and your average exdenditure has been 1750 calories/day. This isn't exact, but it's good enough for most people.Maybe on paper the formula it is easy weight change = CI - CO. And while he CI is somewhat easy to figure out (unless you eat someone elses cooking), the CO number is extremely difficult.0 -
I had MGB Surgery by Dr. Hargroder in Joplin Mo on July 3rd 2014. I weighed 235 at time of surgery and as of today I am down 70 pounds. At 5'4" 235 pounds was a lot to carry around. It had started affecting my vision and the joint pain was horrible. I don't regret my decision at all. It is my tool. I and am sure many others have a relationship with food that others don't and will never understand. I tried everything and I mean everything to get the weight off and if someone ever trys to tell me that I chose the easy way out well,... walk a day in my shoes and then maybe you would understand. I tell everyone that my two brothers born before me stole all the metabolism. Lol! But honestly I have the world's worst metabolism. Everyday is a hard day. I have learned that now I have to eat to live and not live to eat. Protein Protein Protein. Chew Chew Chew. I am supposed to eat double the amount of protein of a person that has not had WLS and trust me it is most days very hard to get that much in. So if you have had weight loss surgery I wish you all the best and even the ones that haven't had surgery.0
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NikonPal did not deserve the flag on his post. (Even though Canon is better!)
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »Sevendust912 wrote: »Hey, sevendust. How about someone like me who is losing the old fashioned way too? I never yo-yo dieted, never went for fads. My weight gain over the years was very steady; a couple pounds a year. The few times I went on Weight Watchers I followed the program and lost weight.
I'm not a whiner by nature.
It still was the best decision for me to have the bariatric surgery. You know the definition of insanity?
You said weight loss is not easy. I disagree, weight loss is a simple formula that any reasonable person with the slightest bit of motivation should be able to achieve. Just my opinion
Weight loss is not a formula. Weight loss is applying a formula. HUGE difference.
amen, sister! i've known exactly how to lose weight for 20 years. theoretically that is. actually applying that knowledge has been a HUGE hurdle for me and continues to be something i need to work on. i'm doing ok, i've lost 50 lbs since my highest weight, but that's taken more than a year of behaviour changes and i've got a long way to go. WLS for me will be another tool in the toolbox. that's all it is. i've proven through many failed weight loss systems that i need to take care of the hunger pains and the ability to overeat. seriously, i'm really never NOT hungry, and the surgery i'm having removes a large part of the stomach that produces the hunger hormone ghrelin. and i'll have a stomach the size of a banana so i can't gorge. it doesn't take care of all the problems though - if i decided to eat a lot of broccoli cheddar soup, i could consume a huge amount of calories and fat very quickly because it'll kind of slide right through. that's why it's just a tool, not a miracle.
you have to do hard work no matter what you do.
You will still be able to overeat. Work on changing those habits now. And the stomach can be stretched back out. My friend has gained over one hundred pounds since having gastric sleeve surgery, after an initial loss of around 60. She didn't follow directions, she has stretched her stomach, and now can overeat to her heart's delight. She regularly eats more than I do in a single meal, yet her stomach is supposedly half the size. I also know someone else who has gained back approximately 50 pounds after having the gastric sleeve. Like you said, it's just a tool, but it is a tool that does not and will not do everything you think it will.
how is that? i don't expect the surgery to do the work for me. i expect the surgery to take away hunger to an extent (which it will, because removing the fundus removes the major source of ghrelin) and makes it uncomfortable to eat too much (which, if you don't respect your limits as prescribed by your doctor, can result in sleeve expansion). i AM already preparing for it. i'm following my dietician's pre-op requirements. and yes, i'm fully aware that many people regain part of the weight. a "success" is when someone loses, and keeps off, 50% of their excess weight. which could still leave me obese. i'm not under any illusions here.0 -
Take it off with diet n working out. You'll feel better and can take pride in working for it0
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sexymonicat wrote: »Take it off with diet n working out. You'll feel better and can take pride in working for it
^^Really? You can take pride in it no matter how you accomplish it. It isn't easy no matter how you do it.
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I would tell you from experience was the best gift I have ever given to myself..I decided to have it done around 2 years ago, I had the vertical sleeve done I have lost a little over 100 so far....0
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